Load handling and dumping mechanism



Sept. 14, 1954 J MARTIN 2,689,054

LOAD HANDLING AND DUMPING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 11, 1953 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOAD HANDLING AND DUMPING MECHANISM Thomas J. MartimChicago, Ill.

Application February 11, 1953, Serial No. 336,337

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to material handling equipment, and specifically to a mechanism for lifting, carrying and dumping bulk material.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism adapted for use in connection with a conventional fork lift truck for lifting and carrying a so-called tote box adapted to contain any bulk material, together with means for quickly, easily and conveniently dumping said materials in a manner effective to completely dis- 1 charge the contents of the box.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a unique, swingable tote box specifically designed for use with a more or less conventional fork lift truck so that any conventional type of fork lift truck may be converted to a convenient industrial dump truck within a matter of seconds, and can be re-converted for conventional fork lift operations with equal facility.

A still further object is the provision of an improved pivotal mounting and suspension mechanism whereby a box or similar receptacle may be carried by and dumped by means of a conventional fork lift truck.

The foregoing objects are accomplished according to the present teachings by the provision of a box-like receptacle or tote box, carried on the tines of a fork lift truck but provided with a unique pivotal connection whereby the forward edge of the box is swingably pivoted between the tines of the fork, with the rearward edge of the box supported by a releasable latch in such a manner as to hold the box level in normal operation, but to permit it to be instantaneously released, when desired, to swing between the tines of the fork and dump its contents.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated'in the drawings of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional fork lift truck having a dumping receptacle or tote box constructed in accordance with the principles of this disclosure;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of Figure 1, showing the manner in which the tote box may be dumped by swinging from the full line to the dotted line positions illustrated in the drawings;

Figure 3 is a fragmental detail sectional view of the dumping latch release mechanism, the view being taken substantially on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the open bearing blocks utilized by the swinging mounting of the tote box,"

The present invention contemplates a fork lift truck I!) which may be of any conventional design, and which is accordingly shown with the convenitonal vertical mast I I and hoisting mechanism !2 by which the supporting carriage I3 is lifted. The carriage includes a lifting fork comprising a pair of horizontal tines I l, each of which has a vertical portion It by which they are mounted on :a supporting shaft iii of the carriage It. The arrangement is such that the entire carriage and fork may be raised or lowered in the manner well understood in the art.

The tines M of the fork are rather widely spaced from each other, so that a dumping receptacle or tote box I! of relatively large capacity may be positioned between them. The box I! may be of any convenient shape but, as illustrated, it is of tapered rectangular configuration having parallel side walls [8 and 19, with a front wall 29 and back wall 2!. As shown, it is provided with casters 22, so that it may be manually shifted about upon any floor surface when not being carried by the truck.

The box H is provided with a pair of stub shafts or trunnions 23, each mounted on and projecting from one of the sides [8 and l9 of the box. These stub shafts extend outwardly a sufficient distance to overlie the forward ends of the fork tines l4, and are pivotally interconnected with said tines by means of a pair of bearing blocks 24 having bearing surfaces 25 therein. The blocks 2 are each mounted on one of the tines M by downwardly extending pins 26 fixed in the blocks and arranged to engage drilled openings 2! in the tines I4. If desired, one or both of the stub shafts 23 may carry a ratchet 28, against which a spring-urged dog 29 rides to facilitate the dumping action of the device, as will appear hereinafter.

The back wall 2| of the box carries an outwardly projecting bracket 3!, which overlies a latch arm 32 mounted on the vertical shaft 33 on the cross members 34 of the supporting carriage [3. The latch arm 32 will normally engage the bracket 3| and hold the box I! in upright position as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2. The shaft 33 includes an outwardly extending handle portion 35, however, by which the shaft may be rowheel will be engaged by the dog, which will stop the motion of the box abruptly. This abrupt stop will jolt the box sufiiciently to free any material remaining therein, even when the equip-1 ment is utilized for carrying and dumping materials which may tend to stick to the walls and bottom of the box, or which for any other reason do not flow easily.

From the above it will be apparent that the teachings of this invention provide a material handling mechanism which is of advantage in that it provides means whereby a conventional fork lift truck or other lifting fork may be employed for carrying, lifting and dumping of bulk materials without material alterations to its mechanism. This is accomplished without incapacitating the lift truck for performing the more conventional duties of a fork lift, since the equipment may be re-converted for conventional: fork lift functions by merely removing the bear-j ing blocks from the tines.

The boxes disclosed herein are of general utility and may be employed in any of the usual ways practiced in manufacturing plants; yet they may be quickly, easily and conveniently picked up and moved from place to place and, if desired, they may be dumped as disclosed herein. In dump ing, the swinging movement of the boxes is such that the contents are smoothly spread out, and

the reverse stop ratchet mechanism is effective to insure complete dislodgement of the material within the box. The ratchet is also of value in that it holds the box in the substantially overturned position illustrated in Figure 2, so that the box may be released from the tines of the fork by merely lowering the fork lift. On the other hand, the box may be conveniently returned to normal horizontal position by merely tripping the latch dog 29 and manually swinging the box back for engagement of thelatch arm 32 with the bracket 3|.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

With a lifting fork comprising a pair of parallel fork tines projecting horizontally outwardly from a support and spaced apart from each other, the combination of a generally rectangular open top box; said box having side walls interconnecting a pair of end walls spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the tines of said fork,

and being adapted to be positioned between said tines; said box being interconnected to said tines by swinging connections at the forward lower corners of said box, and a latch between the support of the fork and the inner side wall of the box, to hold the box in horizontal position; with a release mechanism for said latch and a'reverse stop ratchet to limit the swinging movement of the box with respect to the tines of the fork.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 546,426 McCoy Sept. 1'1, 1895 2,304,649 McDaniels Dec. 8, 1942 2,319,456 Hazen May 18, 1943 2,413,661 Stokes Dec. 31, 1946 

